


how dare we sit quietly and watch the world pass us by

by strawbaekkries



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Confessions, Future Fic, Graduation, KageHina Week 2020, Kuroken if you squint, M/M, One-Sided Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Pining Kageyama, Proposals, Third Year Hinata Shouyou and Kageyama Tobio, i made natsu ruin everything but she's still baby, manga spoilers (kinda)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24838699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawbaekkries/pseuds/strawbaekkries
Summary: He fiddled with the silver crescent moon on the bracelet hidden under the sleeve of his suit jacket and longingly gazed at the sun on Hinata’s wrist that once completed it.
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Hinata Shouyou/Miya Atsumu
Comments: 8
Kudos: 117
Collections: Most Incredible Kagehina Fics I Have Ever Read





	how dare we sit quietly and watch the world pass us by

**Author's Note:**

> Just realized that the latter half of this fic takes place on Hinata's birthday, and it's birthday today too. lmao

Kageyama fiddled with the silver bracelet hidden under the sleeve of his suit jacket. Adorned with a single charm in the shape of a crescent moon, it was a farewell gift, rather, a see-you-later gift as Hinata liked to call it, from five years ago on the day before he left for Brazil.

He was pulled away to the school gym by a very ecstatic Hinata as soon as the graduation ceremony came to an end. Uniform jackets flew the instant the doors to the gym slid open, and they played their hearts out until their knees gave in and the only support they had was the floor. They were soaked to the skin in sweat and gasping for air, but they couldn’t have been happier.

Before they knew it, the sky was turning darker by the second, and it was time to put away the net, pick up the jackets that lay on the floor and say their goodbyes to the place they considered home in the past few years. 

They made their way to the door from the storage room, the sound of their shoes meeting the wooden floor echoing as they walked. The sight of the gym so empty with only the moonlight shining in from the windows above brought about a wave of nostalgia as they recalled the time they had to practice in secret, during the wee hours of the morning before they were able to be part of the team.

The gym seemed so much bigger, colder, and just a bit  _ greyer _ when it was empty when it was usually full of life and chatter. With one final push, the lock to the gym doors clicked in place. They stood and stared, letting it all sink in.

“Crazy how three years ago, this same door was slammed shut in our faces after we made the vice principal’s toupee fly off his head.” Hinata reminisced.

“For the record, it was because you didn't receive the ball properly,” Kageyama teased. 

Hinata let out a whine. “Well, it was more like it was slammed shut in our faces after we got thrown out for making Daichi-san furious.”

They laughed together, taking a seat on the stone steps before the gym for a breath.

“Hey, close your eyes. I’m gonna give you something.”

Kageyama raised an eyebrow, suspicious. Hinata playfully elbowed him.

“Come on, trust me. It’s not gonna be some stupid prank.”

_ This is the last time we’ll be seeing each other in a while. I wouldn’t do that now.  _ It went unsaid. Like Hinata didn’t want to acknowledge the finality of the whole situation.

Kageyama closed his eyes, but not without letting an eye roll slip. He felt Hinata’s warm hand on his arm and flinched when something cold wrapped around his wrist.

“Okay, open your eyes.”

He does so, slowly, revealing to him the piece of jewelry put there by Hinata.

“A reminder not to miss me too much since ‘we can’t be too far apart under the same sky.’ It was a line from a poem in a book Yachi lent me a while back. When I saw these charms, I remembered that,” he showed off his own wrist that wore a similar bracelet with a sun charm that appeared to fit perfectly with the crescent shape of Kageyama’s moon to form a circle. “And then I remembered you. It’s just a little see-you-later present from me. Cute, isn’t it?” 

While the accessories were overdone by many and were terribly clich é too, it didn’t fail to put a blush on Kageyama’s cheeks for a reason other than the chilly weather anyway. But to be fair, Hinata could give him a pebble for a gift and he’d make it into a pendant to wear around everywhere. And however cheesy, the words that came out of Hinata’s mouth set an oddly perfect atmosphere for the words Kageyama was going to say next. Or, the words he was  _ supposed  _ to say next.

He had practiced a whole speech for his confession, but a moment of doubt got him to hesitate. In less than twenty-four hours, Hinata would be flying halfway around the world, and in a week, Kageyama would be off somewhere in Tokyo. In the event that Hinata returned his feelings, they’d have to endure maintaining a long-distance relationship along with being busy pursuing a volleyball career. Even if he didn’t return his feelings, he didn’t want to risk a rejection being their last memory together. Still, he had the strongest feeling that if he didn’t tell him now, he’d regret it later on.

But before a word could escape his mouth, Hinata’s phone rang in his pocket. Hinata checked for the caller.

“Hey Natsu,” he pressed his phone to his ear, wrapping his free arm around his knees tucked close to his body. “Oh alright, I’m heading home right now. Yeah, see you.”

If it was a sign that it was right not to tell him yet, Kageyama listened. “Shall we?”

“Yeah.” Hinata sighed and pushed himself off of the steps, dusting off any dirt from his pants.

They walked past the club room once more on their way to the school gates and seeing it got Hinata to think back to the way they would race each other there every morning. 

“Wanna settle the score once and for all? Race to the gates?” asked Hinata.

Kageyama shook his head. “No. I like that we have a tie right now. That way we can settle the score in a few years when you come back. Like a test for who’s gotten stronger.”

They arrived at the booth outside the gates that held the bikes. Hinata’s was the only one left. He half mounted his bike, one foot still on the ground.

“I’m gonna win.”

“We’ll see about that.” Kageyama grins.

A bittersweet smile found its way to Hinata’s face as a gust of wind breezed through the area, the long orange hair he grew out fluttering along with it. He fixed his gaze on the main school building until the wind calmed, hoping to stall for time.

“I guess this is it, Karasuno. Our time together might be over, but I’ll always hold the memories and the people I met here close to my heart. Thanks for the three years.”

“That was already much, much better than the speech the vice-principal did.”

Silence befell the two as they realized what they had to next.

“I never liked saying ‘goodbye,’ so instead,” he took a deep breath and let it out slowly in an attempt to conceal the shakiness in his voice, his breath visible as a cloud in the cold air. “See you later, Kageyama.”

“See you later, Hinata.”

Kageyama smiled as he thought of the past. Even if he wasn’t able to say it back then, he promised himself that he’d finally say it today. He took one last look at himself in the mirror, adjusted his tie, and smoothed down his suit jacket with his hands before the elevator doors opened. He made his way down the hallway to the woman in a red uniform admitting people into the party.

“Kageyama,” he stated. The invitation said to give the receptionist your name for her to check for the name on the list of invited guests. However tiresome for the person in charge, it had to be done. Hinata was a public figure now, after all. Kageyama just hoped his name was there, otherwise, he’d smack him for it later.

The celebration for Hinata’s first birthday after his grand return to Japan was held in the ballroom of one of the most expensive high-end hotels in Tokyo. It was decorated to a tee with white, gold, and black ornaments, presumably referring to Hinata’s team colors, but Kageyama personally thought the gold was perfect for such a golden boy like Hinata.

“This is some of Natsu’s best work,” Kageyama heard a passerby say. Hinata Natsu, now eighteen years old and in college, was the person responsible for planning her brother’s birthday celebration. Considering she was majoring in arts and design, the place was indeed a sight to behold. Pleasing to the ears as well, with the string quartet playing instrumentals of some of Hinata’s favorite songs.

“I heard Kozume Kenma helped pay for the expenses. I didn’t know he and Hinata were close,” said another. It was true. In fact, the aforementioned was there, conversing with Kuroo in one corner of the room, a glass of what seems to be champagne in his hand. 

Actually, almost all the guests were people Kageyama knew, the ones he didn’t know probably Hinata’s relatives. Friends and acquaintances from high school as well as the professional volleyball scene were all there.

Kageyama finally spotted the familiar tufts of orange hair near the dance floor doing a mock curtsy after finishing a dance with Yachi. Hinata’s smile reached the corner of his eyes the moment they locked eyes. He sauntered over to Kageyama.

“You made it!” Hinata greeted, throwing his arms around him.

“Of course I did. Happy birthday.” Kageyama lightly returns the hug, spots of red starting to appear on his cheeks.

Hinata pulled away, and his eyes lit up. “Hey, wanna dance?”

“Uh, sure.” Kageyama yelped as Hinata grabbed his arm and dragged him to the dance floor.

“You lead,” Hinata said, resting his hand on Kageyama’s shoulder and taking his hand with the other.

Kageyama fought to hold back a blush from ruining this moment. He ultimately failed, but Hinata never notices anyway.

“Say, is that the same suit you wore to Tanaka-san’s wedding?”

Kageyama quirked up an eyebrow, shocked that he noticed. “It is.”

“Ha! I knew it looked familiar,” he grins, proud that he guessed correctly. “You look great in it.”

Kageyama was impressed that Hinata was coordinated enough to hold a conversation while dancing. He thought it had something to do with Hinata’s reflexes and athletic capability, but dancing was a different world from volleyball.

“I didn’t know you could dance,” he remarked.

Hinata grimaced. “It’s a skill you eventually learn when you have a younger sister. Well, it was pretty boring having to learn to dance like this for Natsu’s eighteenth, but it’s kind of fun, actually.”

With nothing else to do but dance until the song ended, Kageyama’s eyes landed on their joint hands. He saw poking out of Hinata’s sleeve the bracelet from years ago.

“Oh, you noticed,” murmured Hinata. “I see you’re wearing yours too.”

The song ended soon after, and they stepped off the dance floor. They continued chatting near the dessert table, Hinata taking a cake pop every now and then. Kageyama’s mind was muddled the whole time with thoughts like,  _ Wow, he looks stunning when he smiles.  _ But the main thought that echoed in his mind was,  _ This is it. This is my chance. _

“Listen Hinata, I need to tell you something.”

Hinata hummed in affirmation, eyes attentive.

He took a deep breath. “I-”

“Nii-chan, someone’s calling for you at the balcony,” Natsu, oblivious to the conversation ongoing, urgently interjected. “Now.”

Hinata gives Kageyama a look of pity. “Sorry, can it wait? When Natsu’s tone’s like that and I don’t follow, bad things happen. One time, she hid my shoes before an important match.”

“I’m right here, you know,” Natsu muttered.

Kageyama, baffled that he was interrupted by Natsu  _ again,  _ does nothing but say, “I’ll be here.”

As he watched Hinata walk away with his sister, Kageyama consoled himself.  _ It’s okay, I’ll just find another chance later. _

The next song played by the string quartet ended with a soft harmony. Kageyama politely pushed his way to the table holding bottles of water, whispering an apology whenever he harshly bumped into someone.

Coincidentally, the balcony Hinata was summoned to was right beside it. Standing beside the door leading to it were Natsu, and for some reason, Miya Osamu.

“Kageyama-san, you’re here! Come watch with us.” Natsu gestured for him to go near the half-closed door. He took a water bottle from the table before doing so.

Beyond the door was a clear view of the star-filled sky so breathtaking it nearly made Kageyama shed a tear. On the balcony stood Osamu’s twin brother, Atsumu, facing Hinata, whose back was turned to the door.

“Shoyo,” the blond caught a glimpse of his brother, who was threateningly mouthing “get it over with already,” making him wince. 

He cleared his throat. “Six years ago, I told you from the other side of the net that I would set for you someday. And by some twist of fate, I did.”

Kageyama’s heart started to race when he realized what was happening.

“Except, it wasn’t just by chance that it happened. It happened because we chose the same team. We both chose the same goal, the same dream, and that was enough. And with time, we came to make another choice,” he stepped closer, taking his hand, the red on his face brighter than that of Hinata’s hair. “To fall in love.”

Eyes shaking, Hinata mumbled, “Where’s all this coming from?”

Atsumu continues. “And I can only hope that you choose to say yes.”

He bends down on one knee and pulls out a black velvet box from the inside of his coat to reveal a simple gold ring. Kageyama could hear a squeal and a content sigh beside him.

“Will you let me be not just your setter, but  _ yours,”  _ he breathed. “For life?”

It felt like a knife in Kageyama’s side. He wanted to do something, to butt in and stop all this from happening.

The birthday boy comically erupted in tears. 

“Of course I will,” he laughed, pressing a chaste kiss onto Atsumu’s lips before engulfing him in a loving embrace.

The thought of having lost his chance again made him want to burst into tears too. Kageyama felt something fall to the floor. Maybe it was his heart.

Osamu bent down and handed Kageyama his water bottle back. “Good thing it wasn’t a glass you were holding.”

He absentmindedly took it back, but the only thing he could focus on was his heart beating hard into his eardrums, and the distant sound of Hinata’s voice.

“I hope you liked the speech. ‘Samu lent a hand with it. Of course, I thought of the idea and he just helped me flesh it out.”

“It was amazingly poetic.” Hinata teasingly pinched the red cheeks.

They stepped back into the ballroom, hand in hand. Hinata’s eyes widened in pleasant surprise when he saw who stood behind the door. Atsumu went on to talk to his brother, leaving Hinata with the other two spectators.

“Natsu! Kageyama!” he cheered.

“Well, if engagements were a contest, you won,” said Kageyama, barely managing to smile.

“Hey, it’s alright. You’ll find your own someday!” Hinata turned to his sister, also in tears, muttering a string of different ways of saying congratulations while grabbing his hand in marvel of the new gold accent.

But Kageyama never even glanced at the ring. He fiddled with the silver crescent moon on the bracelet hidden under the sleeve of his suit jacket and longingly gazed at the sun on Hinata’s wrist that once completed it.

**Author's Note:**

> moral of the story: shoot your shot when you have the chance
> 
> scream at me on twt if you hated it!  
> twitter.com/kenhinagf


End file.
